Pedal exerciser

ABSTRACT

A pedal exerciser includes a support frame operable between an expanded state and a folded state, a pedal unit, and two positioning units. The support frame includes a main rod with an arc-shaped intermediate portion interconnecting two pivot end portions, and two stands connected pivotally and respectively to the pivot end portions of the main rod such that each stand is rotatable relative to the main rod between a supporting position and a retracted position. Each positioning unit is disposed in the support frame for positioning a corresponding stand in the supporting position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a sport exerciser, and more particularly to a pedal exerciser.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional pedal exerciser allowing a user to pedal with the user's legs for exercise is shown to include a support frame 1, a pedal unit 2, and a resistance adjusting member 3.

The support frame 1 includes an inverted V-shaped support rod 101, an axial tube 102 mounted on the support rod 101, and two foot rods 103 connected respectively to opposite ends of the support rod 101. The pedal unit 2 includes a crank member 201 disposed in the axial tube 102, and two pedals 202 connected respectively to opposite ends of the crank member 201. The resistance adjusting member 3 is mounted on the axial tube 102, and is operable to adjust rotation resistance on the crank member 201 of the pedal unit 2.

In such a configuration, the conventional pedal exerciser has a relatively large size, thereby resulting in higher packaging costs, and inconvenience during transport or storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a pedal exerciser that has a foldable support frame, and that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.

According to the present invention, a pedal exerciser comprises a support frame, an axial tube, a pedal unit, and two positioning units.

The support frame is operable between an expanded state and a folded state, and includes a main rod and two stands. The main rod has two pivot end portions opposite to each other in a first direction, and an arc-shaped intermediate portion interconnecting the pivot end portions. The two stands are connected pivotally and respectively to the pivot end portions of the main rod such that the stands are rotatable relative to the main rod. When the support frame is in the expanded state, each of the stands is moved away from the other one of the stands to a supporting position. When the support frame is in the folded state, each of the stands is moved toward the other one of the stands to a retracted position such that the stands are placed under the arc-shaped intermediate portion of the main rod and between the pivot end portions of the main rod, and overlap each other. The axial tube is mounted on the arc-shaped intermediate portion of the main rod of the support frame and extends in an axial direction transverse to the first direction.

The pedal unit includes a crank member and two pedals. The crank member is disposed pivotally in the axial tube and has opposite ends extending outward of the axial tube. The two pedals are connected respectively to the ends of the crank member.

Each of the positioning units is disposed in said support frame for positioning a corresponding one of the stands in the supporting position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a conventional pedal exerciser;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of a pedal exerciser according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the preferred embodiment when a support frame is in an expanded state; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing the preferred embodiment when the support frame is in a folded state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the preferred embodiment of a pedal exerciser of the present invention is shown to include a support frame 10, an axial tube 40, a pedal unit 20, two positioning units, and a resistance adjusting member 30.

The support frame 10 is operable between an expanded state and a folded state, and includes a main rod 11 and two stands 12.

The main rod 11 has two pivot end portions 111 opposite to each other in a first direction (Y), and an arc-shaped intermediate portion 112 interconnecting the pivot end portions 111. In this embodiment, each of the pivot end portions 111 is tubular and is formed with a notch 113 extending toward the intermediate portion 112 of the main rod 11.

The stands 12 are connected pivotally and respectively to the pivot end portions 111 of the main rod 11 such that the stands 12 are rotatable relative to the main rod 11. When the support frame 10 is in the expanded state, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, each stand 12 is moved away from the other stand 12 to a supporting position. When the support frame 10 is in the folded state, as shown in FIG. 5, each stand 12 is moved toward the other stand 12 to a retracted position such that the stands 12 are placed under the arc-shaped intermediate portion 112 of the main rod 11 and between the pivot end portions 111 of the main rod 11, and overlap each other.

In this embodiment, each stand 12 includes a first support rod 122 extending in an axial direction (X) transverse to the first direction (Y), a tubular second support rod 121 transverse to the first support rod 122, and two anti-slip blocks 123 connected rotatably and respectively to opposite ends of the first support rod 122. For each stand 2, the second support rod 121 has a first end 1211 connected to the first support rod 122, and a second end 1212 opposite to the first end 1211 and inserted into and connected pivotally to a corresponding pivot end portion 111 of the main rod 11 by a pivot pin 114 that extends through two through holes 115 (only one shown in FIG. 3) in the corresponding pivot end portion 111 of the main rod 11, and two through holes 1213 in the second end 1212 of the second support rod 121. As a result, the second support rod 121 of each stand 12 is rotatable about a pivot axis (a) (see FIG. 2) parallel to the axial direction (X) relative to the main rod 11. It is noted that the notch 113 in each pivot end portion 111 of the main rod 11 permits outward extension of the second end 1212 of the second support rod 121 therethrough when the corresponding stand 12 moves from the supporting position to the retracted position, as shown in FIG. 5.

The axial tube 40 is mounted on the arc-shaped intermediate portion 112 of the main rod 11 of the support frame 10, and extends in the axial direction (X).

The pedal unit 20 includes a crank member 21 disposed pivotally in the axial tube 40 and having opposite ends 211 extending outward of the axial tube 40, and two pedals 22 connected respectively to the ends 211 of the crank member 21.

The resistance adjusting member 30 is mounted on and extends into the axial tube 40. The resistance adjusting member 30 is operable to adjust rotation resistance on the crank member 21 of the pedal unit 20 in a known manner.

Each positioning unit is disposed in the support frame 10 for positioning a corresponding stand 12 in the supporting position. In this embodiment, each positioning unit includes a first positioning hole 1113, a second positioning hole 1215, and a spring-loaded positioning knob 51. For each positioning unit, the first positioning hole 1113 is formed in a corresponding pivot end portion 111 of the main rod 11, the second positioning hole 1215 is formed in the second end 1212 of the second support rod 121 of the corresponding stand 12, and the spring-loaded positioning knob 51 is mounted in the second end 1212 of the second support rod 121 of the corresponding stand 12, extends through the second positioning hole 1215, and engages releasably the first positioning hole 1113 when the corresponding one of the stands 12 is in the supporting position.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the support frame 10 is in the expanded state, each stand 12 is moved away from the other one of the stands 12 to a supporting position. Because each of the pivot end portions 111 of the main rod 11 is tubular to permit insertion of the second end 1212 of a corresponding one of the second support rods 121 of the stands 12 thereinto, the spring-loaded positioning knob 51 of the corresponding one of the positioning units extends outwardly from the corresponding first positioning hole 1113 such that the positioning unit positions a corresponding one of the stands 12 in the supporting position and such that the two corresponding anti-slip blocks 143 are rotatably and respectively connected to opposite ends of the first support rod 122 of a corresponding one of the stands 12. As in FIG. 5, when the support frame 1 is in the folded state, each of the stands 12 is moved toward the other one of the stands 12 to a retracted position. Because each of the pivot end portions 111 of the main rod 11 is formed with a notch 113 extending toward the intermediate portion 112 of the main rod 11 to permit outward extension of the second end 1212 of the corresponding one of the second support rods 121 of the stands 12 therethrough, the spring-loaded positioning knob 51 of the corresponding one of the positioning units is released from the corresponding first positioning hole 1113 and extends outwardly from the corresponding second positioning hole 1215 such that the positioning unit positions the corresponding one of the stands 12 in the retracted position and such that the two corresponding anti-slip blocks 143 are rotatably and respectively connected to opposite ends of the first support rod 121 of the corresponding one of the stands 12.

To sum up, when the support frame 10 is in the expanded state, a user can pedal the pedal exerciser of the present invention for exercise, as shown in FIG. 4. On the other hand, since the main rod 11 has the arc-shaped intermediate portion 112 and since the support frame 10 can be operated in the folded state, the pedal exerciser of the present invention can be folded to have a smaller size to thus facilitate storage and transport. In addition, packaging costs of the same can be reduced. Moreover, each positioning unit can be easily operated by pressing the positioning knob 51 with one hand or foot to disengage the first positioning hole 1113 in the corresponding pivot end portion 111 of the main rod 11, thereby facilitating retraction of the stands 12.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A pedal exerciser comprising: a support frame operable between an expanded state and a folded state, and including a main rod having two pivot end portions opposite to each other in a first direction, and an arc-shaped intermediate portion interconnecting said pivot end portions, and two stands connected pivotally and respectively to said pivot end portions of said main rod such that said stands are rotatable relative to said main rod, wherein, when said support frame is in the expanded state, each of said stands is moved away from the other one of said stands to a supporting position, and when said support frame is in the folded state, each of said stands is moved toward the other one of said stands to a retracted position such that said stands are placed under said arc-shaped intermediate portion of said main rod and between said pivot end portions of said main rod, and overlap each other; an axial tube mounted on said arc-shaped intermediate portion of said main rod of said support frame and extending in an axial direction transverse to the first direction; a pedal unit including a crank member disposed pivotally in said axial tube and having opposite ends extending outward of said axial tube, and two pedals connected respectively to said ends of said crank member; and two positioning units each disposed in said support frame for positioning a corresponding one of said stands in the supporting position.
 2. The pedal exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said stands includes: a first support rod extending in the axial direction, and a second support rod transverse to said first support rod and having a first end connected to said first support rod, and a second end opposite to said first end and connected pivotally to a corresponding one of said pivot end portions of said main rod such that said second support rod is rotatable about a pivot axis parallel to the axial direction relative to said main rod.
 3. The pedal exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said pivot end portions of said main rod is tubular to permit insertion of said second end of said second support rod of a corresponding one of said stands thereinto, and is formed with a notch extending toward said intermediate portion of said main rod to permit outward extension of said second end of said second support rod of the corresponding one of said stands therethrough when the corresponding one of said stands moves from the supporting position to the retracted position.
 4. The pedal exerciser as claimed in claim 3, wherein: said second support rod of each of said stands of said support frame is tubular; and each of said positioning units includes a first positioning hole formed in a corresponding one of said pivot end portions of said main rod, a second positioning hole formed in said second end of said second support rod of the corresponding one said stands, and a spring-loaded positioning knob mounted in said second end of said second support rod of the corresponding one of said stands, extending through said second positioning hole, and engaging releasably said first positioning hole when the corresponding one of said stands is in the supporting position.
 5. The pedal exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said stands of said support frame further includes two anti-slip blocks connected respectively to opposite ends of said first support rod of a corresponding one of said stands.
 6. The pedal exerciser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a resistance adjusting member mounted on and extending into said axial tube and operable to adjust rotation resistance on said crank member of said pedal unit. 